White nights, and other stories — Page 15

任何一个善良的女人，除非她愚蠢，或者更糟的是，当时正为某事烦恼，否则都不会狠心把你打发走，不说你那么羞怯地恳求的那两个字……

No kind-hearted woman, unless she were stupid or, still more, vexed about something at the moment, could bring herself to send you away without those two words which you ask for so timidly....

但我在说什么呢？她当然会把你当成疯子的。我是按自己的标准来判断的；我对别人的生活了解得很多。"

But what am I saying? Of course she would take you for a madman. I was judging by myself; I know a good deal about other people's lives."

"哦，谢谢您，"我喊道，"您不知道您现在为我做了什么！"

"Oh, thank you," I cried; "you don't know what you have done for me now!"

"我很高兴！我很高兴！但告诉我，您是怎么发现我是那种……嗯，您认为值得……关注和友谊的女人的……总之，不是您所说的房东太太呢？是什么让您决定走过来跟我说话的？"

"I am glad! I am glad! But tell me how did you find out that I was the sort of woman with whom ... well, whom you think worthy ... of attention and friendship ... in fact, not a landlady as you say? What made you decide to come up to me?"

"是什么让我……？但您当时是孤身一人；那位先生太粗鲁无礼；又是夜晚。您得承认，这是我应尽的义务……"

"What made me?... But you were alone; that gentleman was too insolent; it's night. You must admit that it was a duty...."

"不，不；我是指之前，在路的那一边——您知道您本来就打算走过来跟我说话的。"

"No, no; I mean before, on the other side--you know you meant to come up to me."

"在路的那一边？说真的，我不知道该怎么回答；我有些害怕……您知道吗，我今天很快乐？我一路唱着歌走来；我去了郊外；我从未有过这样幸福的时刻。

"On the other side? Really I don't know how to answer; I am afraid to.... Do you know I have been happy to-day? I walked along singing; I went out into the country; I have never had such happy moments.

您……也许是我的幻觉……请原谅我提起这件事；我好像看见您在哭，而我……无法忍心听着……那让我心疼……哦，我的天啊！

You ... perhaps it was my fancy.... Forgive me for referring to it; I fancied you were crying, and I ... could not bear to hear it ... it made my heart ache.... Oh, my goodness!